Power machine



Dec', 17, 1935. v ZAPATA v 2,024,841

V POWER MACHINE Filed Jan. lO, 1955 2 Shevets-Sheet l k rj INVENTOR. l l VMGM /0 Zap/17A.

/r/VESS K BY f ZZZaM ATTORNEYS.

Dea. 17, 1935. v ZAPATA 2,024,841

POWER MACHI NE Fil-ed Jan. lO, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM Fra.' Z

INVENTOR. //f/ /0 ,Z4/DA 7A 2% ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 17, 1935 .13a-;

UNITEDV s'fATEs PATENT OFFICE 'I POWER MACHINE p l Virgilio Zapata, New York, N. Y.

Application January 10,1935, vSerial No. 1,263

4 claims, (o1. iilsom This invention relates to improvements in power machines and has for one of its main objects, the utilization of the mechanical leverage principle of a wheel and its axle for theincrease of torque' from the drive part tothe driven part.

Another feature of lthe invention resides in a shaft to be driven to which' one end of a lever is fixedly connected, the free endof the lever being connected to a motor driven traction carriage movable about the axis of the driven shaft, whereby the distance between the axis of the driven shaft and the driven traction carriage provides a leverage to increase the torque imparted to the driven shaft and from which power may be taken forI any useful purpose desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certainnovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are 4hereinafter fully 2o described, and are particularly pointed out in the appended claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved power machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevational view of the electric collector ring and brushes.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line B-S of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral I0 designates a flat floor or other like supporting surface in which a concrete base or anchorage II is set, and mounted on the base II is a bearing I2. Journalled in the bearing I2 is the lower end of a vertical shaft I3,

the upper end of the shaft being journalled in a bearing I4 supported by a ceiling or other like support I5. The shaft I3 has its intermediate portion journalled in a bearing I6 mounted upon a horizontal beam or frame work Il.

Fixedly connected to the shaft I3 for turning movement therewith is a horizontally ,disposed lever arm I8, the inner end of the said arm being joined to the shaft by means of a collar I9 which is directly keyed to the shaft and which collar is provided with a socket 20 for the inner end of the lever arm, the same being secured within the socket by bolts 2I.

Connected to the free end of the lever arm I8 is a motor driven wheel carriage 22 which includes a frame in the shape of a fork 23, while extending loutwardly from the legs of the fork are alined bearings 24 'in which an axle 25 is journalled. VFixedly connected to the axle 251 are traction wheels 26, the periphery of the wheels being provided with rubber tires 21. 5 Whereas the wheels may ride o ver the flat surface I0. 1 prefer to have them travel over circular rails 28 which are countersunk in the oor surface I 0 Aand are concentric with respect to the axis of the driven shaft I3. Fixed to the 1o fork frame 23 and rising upwardly therefrom, is a. square post 29, the same slidably fitting through a square shaped bore provided in a bearing member 30 set into the lever armIB. Interposed between the top of the fork frame I3 and 15 the. vbearing member 30 is a spring 3| which tends to normally force the frame downwardly so as to compensate for anyfwear of the rubber tires of the wheels 26 as it will be appreciated that the lever arm I8 is always maintained at 20 the same horizontal plane, thus the tires of the wheels are always maintained in traction contact with the rails 28.

For the purpose of imparting power to the tractive wheels of the carriage, I provide an 25 electric motor 32 which is suspended from the carriage frame beneath the axle and the armature shaft of the motor is provided with a driving pinion gear 33 which is in constant mesh with a larger gear 34 fixed to the axle 25, and 30 which is disposed within the furcation of the fork frame 23. It will be understood that operation of the motor 32 imparts rotation to the traction wheels 26 through the mesh gears 33 and 34 and axle 25. 35

For the purpose of transmitting electrical energy to the motor 32 during rotation of the carriage about the axis of the shaft I3, I p rovide a pair of contact rings 35 which are concentric with respect to the axis of the shaft I3, 40 and supported above the floor I0 by legs 36, the said rings being suitably insulated from their supporting legs to prevent short circuiting. Conductor wires 31 lead to the respective rings 35 from a suitable source of supply and any form 45 of control switch or rheostat may be arranged in the circuit with the wires 31 to control the flow to the contact rings 35. A

Carried by the lever arm I8 and depending therefrom for engagement with the respective 50 contact rails 35, are contact brushes 38 each of which includes a tubular casing 39 having an enlarged housing 40 at its lower free end into which a plunger 4I extends, the plunger being normally urged outwardly by a spring 42 en- 55 closed within the housing 40 and interposed between the top Wall thereof, and a flange 43 provided on the plunger. The lower end of the plunger 4| terminates in a fork 44 in which a Contact roller 45 is mounted, and which roller rides over a contact ring 35.

Connected to the casings 39 are one end of conductor wires 46 which are led through metallic piping or ilexible cable 41 to the respective terminals of the motor 32. The metallic piping or flexible cable 41 is suspended by clips or other fasteningmeans 48 tothe under side of the lever arm I8.

In operation, assume that the current to the motor 32 is turned on and operation of the motor imparts a driving force to the traction wheels 2li causing the carriage to move with the lever arm I8 about the axis of the driven shaft I3. Due to the leverage exerted to the shaft I3 by the lever I8, the torque is thereby increased Yand may be taken off from the shaft I3 by any form of power take-off such as for instance, Va belt or pulley means 49, or through gear means 50.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the most practical embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

l. In a power machine, a vertical rotatable driven shaft, a horizontal arm fixed to said driven shaft, a traction carriage including a frame, anY axle journalled in said frame, and wheels fixed to said axle, a square post rising from said frame and freely slidable through a square vertical hole in said arm adjacent its outer free end, spring means interposed between said arm and said frame tending to hold the Wheels in traction contact with a traction surface over which they are adapted to ride and for compensating for wear of the treads thereof, a motor carried by said frame, and power transmitting means operatively connecting said motor and said axle Afor imparting driving power from said motor to said wheels.

2. In al power machine, a vertical rotatable driven shaft, a lever arm fixedly connected to said driven shaft, fixed rails horizontally disposed below the plane of said lever arm and concentric with respect to the axis of said shaft, a motor driven wheel carriage, and resilient coupling means connecting said carriage to the lever arm, the wheels of said wheel carriage having tractive Contact with the respective rails.

3. In a power machine, a vertical rotatable driven shaft, a lever arm fixedly connected to said driven shaft, a motor.A driven wheel carriage including a frame, an axle journalled in said frame, wheels xed to said axle, andresilient coupling means connecting said frame with said lever arm for permitting vertical movement of said frame and for preventing turning thereof relative to said lever arm.

4. In a power machine, a vertical rotatable driven shaft, a lever arm xedly connected to said driven shaft, a wheel carriage including a frame, an axle journalled in said frame, wheels fixed to said axle, resilient coupling means between said frame and said lever arm for facilitating vertical movement of said carriage relative to said lever arm, a motor mounted on said frame, and gear means operatively connecting said motor with said axle.

VIRGILIO ZAPATA. 

